Specialized announced a new model in its line of road helmets. The S-Works Prevail II Vent is a super airy version of the brand’s versatile (ie, non-aero-focused) racing helmet.
As with S-Works Vent shoes, the new Prevail II Vent is more of an addition to the line than a replacement for the existing model.
The S-Works Prevail II Vent will be sold at £ 240 / $ 250 / € 319.90 / AU $ 400 and is available for purchase now.
Ventilation S-Works Prevail II: it’s about cooling
While Specialized’s Evade helmet aims to reduce drag, the S-Works Prevail II Vent is focused on increasing airflow over the pilot’s head, a particular concern for riding in hot weather.
Specialized says the new cap offers a 20 percent increase in ventilated area and moves air through the head 18 percent faster than the standard Prevail II, making it the coolest helmet the brand has ever made.
This was achieved by removing seven foam ‘bridges’ through the central channel of the helmet.
These were replaced by much thinner “robotically spun Aramid strings”, giving the appearance of an almost completely open channel in the middle of the helmet.
Like the existing Prevail II, the Prevail II Vent uses MIPS SL safety technology to reduce the effects of rotational forces on the user’s head and brain, a system that claims to offer 10 to 15 mm of rotation in all directions.
For the new model, Specialized used a redesigned MIPS pad kit that aims to be more breathable thanks to a perforated ripstop base. The new Prevail also includes the ANGi accident detection system as an additional safety measure.
We didn’t see the precise score, because it hasn’t been published yet, but Specialized says the S-Works Prevail II Vent reached a maximum of five stars in the Virginia Tech helmet ratings.
The S-Works Prevail II Fan is now available in four colors. Expect to see it used by professional team drivers like Deceuninck – Quick-Step, Bora – Hansgrohe, Legion of LA and SD Worx.
It will be interesting to see which pilots choose Prevail over Evade, which is more aerodynamic but less ventilated. Conventional wisdom suggests that aerodynamic gains are generally more important, but it is easy to imagine that pilots facing a hot race day would favor the extra air flow offered by the Prevail II Ventilator.
